Home-winterization tips keep cold outside

Not only will weatherization help people stay warm, it will also decrease utility costs, Schultheis said in a news release.

Insulation is key in weather-proofing a home against winter temperatures.

“If you have extra cash, I would recommend investing it in more insulation,” Schultheis said in the release. “I recommend adding four to six inches more to the attic if insulation is less than six inches thick.”

Beyond insulation, the extension office offers these home-weatherization tips:

• Use caulk where two different materials or parts of the house meet. For example, apply caulking where the siding meets door or window frames and sills. Another place for air leaks is where pipes or wires go through walls, floors or ceilings.

• Apply foam, vinyl, rubber or spring metal weather stripping to gaps around moving parts of windows and doors. Make sure thresholds on the bottom of doors are in good condition and seal tightly. Plastic sheeting can be applied with tape to window interiors to act as inexpensive storm windows.

• Install foam gaskets under the electrical switch and outlet plates on the inside of exterior walls to block air infiltration.

• Put a precut fiberglass insulation blanket on the hot-water heater to further cut utility bills.

• Check to make sure furnaces and stove and chimney flues are clean and running at peak efficiency. Change air filters and vacuum dust from the air vents in each room.